Dear Adam

Today you are 13 months.

The Saga Of The Lump is finally over.  You have a scar under your left arm that is approximately 7 cms long.  The swelling is almost gone and for the first time in over a year your left side has no lump.  It feels very strange to Dada and I, I must say!

Grandma and Pops came to visit for your 1st birthday.  Unfortunately, before that day actually arrived, Grandma found herself in the hospital in London and never made it back to Belfast.

But you had fun while she was here: –

In the last few months you’ve had chicken pox, a cold, surgery and a tummy bug.  This means your sleeping has gone to pot.  Mama doesn’t think you’ve slept through the night in about 2 months, except occasionally.  She is asking very nicely for that to be over.  Thanks.

You are now a real standing boy, BTW.  Holding on, hands free, a few little steps.  Crawling has not happened, although you do manage to get around, between bum shuffling and sort of scooting.  Mama will try to get it on video!

Finally, you’ve started settling in at day care.  The first few days were fine, the 4th one you were a bit hysterical.  But we’ll get you there and I think you are going to have  a lot of fun while there.  The baby room is just a big room full of toys!  So you’ll get to play play play all.day.long! How can that be bad?

And finally…you, my son, are 28 pounds and 31 inches tall.  That’s the 91st centile for both.  So you’re already about the size of a 2 year old.  Mama is already envisioning buying your P1 uniform in a size for a 6th Former.

Love

Mama

Dear Adam

My goodness, 10 months already.  Not too far off a year, my son!

This past month you have been developing like crazy.  You can stand, if you hold on.

You can slide backwards and will crawl soon.

You have started to clap and play peek a boo with your blue blankey.

And you have 4 teeth and possible 5, 6 and 7 coming in!

You sit up nice and tall and can twist down onto your tummy.

I forgot to mention a milestone last month; the new notebook!  You see, when you came home from SCBU there were 3 of us taking care of you, Mummy, Daddy and Grandma.  It was making Mummy nuts that no one could remember what time your bottle was made, and they are only good for 2 hours, or how much you had eaten.  So she started a notebook and every time a bottle was made, the time was written down.  And then, after 2 hours, how much of it you had eaten.  Also whether or not you had pooed!!  Anyway, it helped Mummy and Daddy figure out when to increase or decrease your milk.  And when to throw a half full bottle away!

And last month we finished the first book. So sort of a milestone.  9 months of milk records finished.  And not kept.  Mummy may be starting a scrapbook for you, but she thought that was a bit over the top!

Still no word on the surgery to remove The Lump.  But hopefully we will hear soon.

In a few weeks we are going to Grandma and Grandad’s house for their 40th Wedding Anniversary Party.  Aunt A, Uncle J and Cousin A will be there!  Its gonna be so.much.fun!

Love

Mummy

Dear Adam

9 months today!

This month we have learned to sit up when someone puts us on our bottom: –

and cut our two top front teeth, although there is no picture because its very hard to get you to show anyone!

We have also learned that you will be having The Lump removed surgically in the next 2 months or so.  At first the surgeon thought it might be treatable with Beta Blockers, but on further review of the ‘films’ (I don’t know why they still call them that, since its all digital now) it has been determined that they still don’t know what it is and its is best cut off.

In other news you have outgrown your Stage 0 car seat and Mummy and Daddy are shopping for a Stage 1.  We think we’ve found it.  Now we just have to buy it!

You’ve been being bathed in the big bathtub for at least the past month, and you love it:

Your favourite toy is a measuring cup, but hey! We already had that and don’t have to buy any other bath toys!  Seriously, you do love that bucket, as we call it.  But also like to play with your ducks!

In bad news for Mummy you seem to be dropping your morning nap most days.

And on that note I have to go get you.  As you’ve just woken up.  After 5 minutes.

Love

Mummy

Dear Adam

Yesterday you were 8 months old and Mummy is sorry she is a day late with this.  Daddy was away this week for 2 nights and you kept Mummy hopping!

You have come on leaps and bounds in the past month.

You talk.  Oh, not in English, but with vowels and consonants and what seem to be sentences that actually mean something.  At least to you.

You move.  Oh, not on all fours in a crawl but you can shift yourself while on your tummy to reach for a toy.  Or Mummy’s glasses.

You stand.  Oh, not on your own, but if someone holds you up, your legs are strong and sure now.  And how you love when Daddy helps you leap into the air!

You sleep through.  Oh, not every night, but maybe 4 out of 7?  And of the remaining 3 most of the wake ups are just calls for your dummy.  So only one night a week when Mummy or Daddy  have to actually get you out of bed.  Not too shabby.

You eat solid food.  Oh, not by yourself, with mummy or daddy’s help.  But sometimes you try.  That’s fun for them!

No, you still don’t roll from your back to your tummy, but you are so.very.close.  It amazes me that you don’t, that’s how close you are.  It surely takes more energy to roll back to your back than it would to roll that last little bit to your tummy!

We still don’t know what The Lump is as your appointment was cancelled.  But your next appointment is this coming Monday, 15th February and then maybe we’ll know.  And what the doctors intend to do about it.  Its been a long wait.

Daddy and I have discovered that you love being upside down.  Mummy likes to carry you like that, facing out, holding on tight!  You laugh and laugh and laugh.  Daddy likes to lift you by your feet while you’re on the bed.  Full on belly laughs.

Mummy also discovered that your ribs are ticklish!  The one spot she’s found that almost always makes you laugh.

You’re getting so big, my son.  And Mummy is loving watching you learn.

Love

Mummy

Dear Adam

What a month it has been.

You had your MRI, which went fine.  We get the results in a week.  And we’ll find out what they intend to do about The Lump.  If anything.  I think Daddy is hoping they want to remove it.  I think I am hoping they want to leave it alone and watch it.  But I am not sure if either of us is sure that that’s what we want.

We went to California for Christmas.  10.5 hours on a plane each way and you were the perfect baby during both flights.

You met some of your cousins on this trip.  First your London cousin:

Then your California cousins:

You didn’t sleep too badly in California, but coming home was hard.  It took you almost 2 weeks to get back to going to sleep around 8 and sleeping through.  But you got back there eventually!

Also, Mummy and Daddy moved you into your own room.  As of this writing, you are in your Amby in there, but we’ll be moving you to your cot sooner rather than later, as you are settling fine so far.

Mummy has been trying you on various solid foods.  Baby rice? Huge hit, love it.  Applesauce? Made you choke and throw up.  Twice.  Carrot? Opened mouth and dumped it right out.  Mashed potato? More vomit.  All of those (well, except the first applesauce) were home made.  So what did you like?  Store bought apple/banana.  You gobbled that right.up.  Guess mummy will give up on the home made for awhile and start buying some jars!!

You are so big now that we had to retire your 0 – 6 month sleeper bags and buy some 9 – 18 month ones.  And you’ve only got about 4 or 5 inches to go in those! You are, I think, going to be taller than Daddy.

You have been chewing on anything you can get your hands on.  But so far no sign of teeth.  Also lots and lots of drool!  Daddy seems to wipe your face every 2 minutes.  I just let you drool!

Every day you get more interactive and interested in the world around you.  Its so much fun to be with you!

Love

Mummy

Dear Adam

My goodness, 6 months already?  Mummy is amazed at how fast it has flown by.

And you are developing like crazy.  You can sit up from leaning back against Mummy and do a sort of tummy crunch motion for lying flat on your back: –

And you can sit up if someone puts you into position:

You have shown no new interest in rolling over, however.  You keep looking at me, when I place you on your tummy, and it seems you are saying ‘Look, I’ve done that already.  Can we move on now?’

You’ve started sitting in your high chair and joining Daddy and I for dinner.

Mummy even started you on solid food this past week!

But the very best thing? Is you’ve slept straight through until 7 for 3 days in a row now!  Of course, that will probably change. And change again.  And again….

Next week, on the 16th, is your MRI.  Mummy and Daddy are a little worried, since they have to put you under a general anaesthesia so you’ll be very still during it.  But Mummy is sure you’ll be fine.  Really.

Then just  few days later we get on an airplane!

First we will be in London with your Aunt, Uncle and baby Cousin.

Then we get on another airplane and off we go to California for 10 whole days!  Mummy is so excited!  And Aunt B told me she cannot wait to get her hands on you!!!  Mummy and Daddy hope they’ll be allowed to bring you home. 🙂

Oh and Daddy and I both swear you’ve said ‘Hi!’

But we’re probably delusional.

Love

Mummy